Tiger checks in

Tiger Woods, who is not playing the Memorial Tournament this week while he recovers from back
surgery, made a phone call to tournament host Jack Nicklaus this morning.

Nicklaus made the revelation this morning during his annual pre-tournament news conference at
Muirfield Village Golf Club.

“A very, very nice call, wishing me well in the tournament, sorry he couldn't be here,” Nicklaus
said of their chat.

“And he was saying that he felt bad about not being able to be here. He said he's doing
well, progressing well (in his rehabilitation), and he's looking forward to getting back into the
game. He misses it.”

Woods, who lost his No.1 world ranking to Adam Scott last week, had a microdiscectomy March 31
and is out indefinitely. Nicklaus said they did not discuss when he hopes to return.

“He didn't say anything,” Nicklaus said with a smile, “and I didn't ask him because I knew I was
going to talk to you guys. I'll let him answer those questions.”

Woods has missed four of the past nine Memorials. He won two of the five he played in during
that span, in 2009 and ’12, and has five victories total, the tournament record.